Local archaeologists are currently conducting excavations to uncover the remains of a prehistoric Native American village that existed a thousand years ago in Provo.

This ancient village, known as “The Fremont,” once thrived across the Provo River Delta and is believed to have housed over 1,000 Native American inhabitants.

The Fremont people were likely attracted to the fertile farmlands, abundant fisheries, and plentiful waterfowl offered by Utah Lake, as stated in a news release about the discovery, ABC4 reported.

Leading this ongoing project are archaeologists Dr. Mike Searcy and Scott Ure from Brigham Young University’s Department of Anthropology, along with Dr. David Yoder from Weber State University.

Historical records indicate that there were more than 120 sites, including numerous earthen mounds, scattered throughout the Provo River Delta landscape.

These mounds, some of which reach heights of 10 feet, were initially observed by Mormon settlers as early as 1849.

Since the 1930s, anthropologists have been studying and excavating these mounds to gain insights into the ancient village and its inhabitants.

Written by staff